Google says it will introduce new political advertising rules in Europe as the European Union heads toward spring elections. The changes are meant to give voters and regulators a clearer view of who is paying for election-related ads and how those ads are targeted.
Under the new system, advertisers will have to apply and pass verification before they can buy political ads. Google also plans to publish an EU transparency report and a searchable ad library that will show who purchased election ads, how much was spent and which audiences were targeted.
The move comes as European regulators have pressed major technology companies to do more about misinformation online. In September, the European Commission said Facebook, Google and other firms had agreed to a code of conduct aimed at curbing fake news, amid concerns that it could affect elections.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Public ad databases launched by Facebook and Google before US elections have already given the public a wider look at how quickly the companies remove ads that violate their rules.
